Governments, industry and everyday people have been abuzz this year about online security to a larger extent than ever before. People are talking about their information, how they share it with others and how they secure it. With more information moving online, and with cyber attacks on the rise, we think it’s important that we keep the conversation about security flowing.

Google has renewed its commitment to security this year and has pushed industry boundaries to help people better protect their information in new ways. Here are just a few examples: We became the first major email provider to offer default HTTPS encryption for the entire email session, and we introduced an encrypted search option for Google.com. We designed a new system to make Google Accounts more secure, and added suspicious activity detection for our users. Google Apps became the first suite of cloud computing applications to receive Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) certification from the U.S. government. We also published new security products, tools and research to help web developers and network administrators make the rest of the web more secure.

I sit on the board of the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) to promote work that encourages safer online habits. Together with that organization, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a host of other companies, Google is taking the month of October to recognize National Cyber Security Awareness Month. As we did in a blog post series last year, we’ll explore simple ways that people can make use of Google’s technologies and tools, as well other freely available resources and advice, to better protect themselves and their information.

We will post links here throughout the month, so be sure to check back often.

Remember, even with so many people and groups focused on creating a safer web experience for everyone, we all have a responsibility to take steps to protect ourselves online. The NCSA recommends that we keep our wits about us and think carefully about our online actions before we take them. In that spirit, we encourage you to: Stop. Think. Connect.